1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a binder which releasably engages an aperture in a sheet, more particularly to a ring binder in which the ring may be releasably latched to a panel of the binder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior art loose-leaf ring binder which releasably latches a ring to a panel of the binder is described in FIGS. 1-4 of the present specification wherein binder 30 cover 31 folds on hinges 34 so that ends 46 of rings 38 can be moved to stamped metal plate 52 of hook bar 44. Hook bar 44 is attached by rivet 36 through slot 37 to panel 32 of binder 30 for limited longitudinal sliding movement along panel 32.
Hooks 40 of hook bar 44 are slipped over ends 46 by moving hook bar 44 in direction 48. Movement of hook bar 44 is accomplished by pushing on tab 50.
Rings 38 are held under hooks 40 of capture mechanism 42 and between upturned shoulder walls 54 and 56 of plate 52 as indicated in FIGS. 3 & 4.
Arms 64 and 66 pivot at conventional pivot mechanism 62 and swing 63 open and closed. They may be opened by operating lever 53.
Arms 64 and 66 hold pages 60 which are moved to arm 66 in the region 58 between the pivot mechanism end of the hooked arm and shoulder wall 56 when rings 38 are locked into capture mechanism 42. Wall 56 is cut away in FIG. 4 for clarity.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,557 patented Sep. 20, 1971 by F. S. Schade describes and claims a loose-leaf binder having pivoted arm rings like the one described above, in which the ring capture mechanism for the loose-leaf binder comprises an elongated channel plate member, flanged in a U-shape, fixedly attached to the binder cover with the planar back of the U toward a panel of the binder cover.
Between the elongated channel member and the panel is a locking plate member having a planar portion that is wider than the U-shaped channel plate member. The locking plate member is longitudinally movable over a limited distance, and has ring engaging fingers which extend through longitudinal slots in the elongated channel member and are upwardly offset from the plane of the plates and movable with the locking plate member to releasably lock the ring halves to the binder panel.
The flanged side walls of the stationary plate have opposed notch portions which seat the loose-leaf binder rings spaced from the ends of the ring.
Further, the locking plate is flanged in a U-shape upturned from the panel, so that the flanged side walls on opposite sides of the locking plate slide against the outer surfaces of the opposed halves of the loose-leaf binder rings when the closed rings are held by the fingers.
In the ring binder described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,416 patented Feb. 20, 1973 by F. S. Schade, the ring capture mechanism comprises an elongated U-shaped plate member fixedly attached to a panel of the loose-leaf cover, with the planar back of the U towards the panel. The side walls of the U of the plate member have inwardly turned marginal edge sections having notches for receiving the arched corners of the arms of the rings adjacent to the ends of the rings.
An elongated releasable locking plate member having a planar central section overlies the planar central portion of the U-shaped plate member in flat planar relation and is mounted on the planar central portion for limited longitudinal movement thereon. The locking plate member has outwardly angled marginal side portions which extend in underlying relationship to the inwardly turned marginal edge sections of the stationary plate, and has ring engaging fingers offset outwardly of the plane of the planar central section and is movable to releasably hold the outer end portions of the rings against the locking plate.
In the ring binder described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,402, patented Feb. 27, 1973 by F. S. Schade, the ring capture mechanism comprises an elongated U-shaped plate member fixedly attached to a panel of the loose-leaf cover with the planar back of the U towards the panel. Each side wall of the U has an inverted U-shaped skirt having the inner side wall of the skirt in common with the side wall. The top connecting wall and common inner sidewall of each skirt has a notch. The notches of the opposed sidewalls of the U are oppositely located for receiving the arched corners of the arms of the rings adjacent to the ends of the rings.
An elongated releasable locking plate member having a planar central section overlies the planar central portion of the U-shaped plate member in flat planar relation and is mounted on the planar central portion for limited longitudinal movement thereon. The locking plate member has ring engaging fingers offset outwardly of the plane of the planar central section of the locking plate member and is movable to releasably hold the outer end portions of the rings against the locking plate.